Chapter 18
Sean didn’t have the power to arrest anyone right now, let alone keep them confined, but he did question Luke more intensely than before.
But no matter what Sean threw at the chef, the man dodged the questions like a practiced fighter in the ring, avoiding the heavy haymaker Sean tried to land.
While Luke didn’t have an alibi for last night, there was also no one in the hotel who had confirmed seeing him out of his room, and Julie had made no mention of the chef during her final moments with her sister.
But the maid of honor had been heavily intoxicated, as was the rest of their party. They might have seen Luke and just not remembered it.
Unable to arrest Luke, Sean recruited Roger to help keep the chef confined to his room.
Luke wasn’t happy about it. “Are you serious?” Luke asked. “I didn’t do anything!”
“All the same, we need to cooperate with the sheriff,” Roger said.
“So, you’re putting me in time out?” Luke asked. “This is bullshit!”
“Luke!” Roger said, raising his voice. “Go. Now. End of story.” He took a breath. “I’ll let you know when you can come out.”
Luke muttered under his breath and then walked out of the kitchen. After he was gone, Roger turned to Sean.
“Do you really think he did something?” Roger asked.
Sean studied his surroundings once more. “Something happened here. Whether Luke was involved, I don’t know for sure yet. But I need to keep this space cleared until I do.”
“Right, well, people still need to eat,” Roger said. “Can I stay in here and finish up?”
“Sure,” Sean answered.
Roger positioned himself near the cutting board, and as Sean walked away, the hotel owner spoke up. “Oh, what did Sheriff Johnson say?”
“He’ll be a few hours,” Sean answered, and then chose to omit the fact that Johnson had told him to stand down.
“I need to speak with the maid of honor and confirm this is Karla’s shoe.
” He looked back at the dent in the counter, wondering if the sister would be able to tell her anymore about last night.
Sean still wasn’t sure if the two disappearances were related, but the fact that he’d found the high heel, the blood, and the two victims sharing a name was starting to make it harder to ignore the idea that the two cases were linked.
When Sean returned to Julie’s room, it was empty. Sean looked up and down the hallway and decided to go check the library first, since it was the closest.
With the power out, the hotel was eerily quiet.
Roger and the staff had lit candles and placed them along the hallways.
The hotel’s old architecture and the flickering flames created an otherworldly ambiance.
And as Sean neared the library, whispers traveled out of the open door and into the hallway.
Sean slowed, listening, and when he neared the door, he peered inside. The maid of honor, Julie, and the best man, Tim, stood near a love seat, locked in a heated but hushed argument. If not for the echo, Sean wasn’t sure he would have heard it.
“We just both have to stay calm,” Tim said.
“Are you fucking serious?” Julie asked.
“No one is going to find out, and everything is going to turn out all right, okay?” Tim said, and then he tried to place his hands on Julie’s shoulders, but she shrugged him off.
“Don’t touch me,” Julie said loudly.
Tim hushed her.
“He’ll find out the truth eventually,” Julie said.
“No, he won’t,” Tim said, threateningly. “Not unless someone opens their big fucking mouth. But you’re not going to do that because you have your own fucking secrets. Don’t you?”
Julie reddened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do,” Tim said. “So, unless you want your life shattered, then you’re going to do exactly as I tell you.”
Julie opened her mouth as if to say something, but then thought better of it. She turned to leave, but before she made it too far, Tim snatched her arm, gripping it tight.
“Do you understand?”
Julie grabbed Tim’s hand, then pulled it away. She said nothing as she walked away, and Tim followed her.
Sean retreated from the door, standing in the middle of the hallway as Julie stepped out, and she froze when she saw him.
“Hey, we need to—” Tim followed Julie but piped up when he noticed Sean.
Sean stared at the two of them like a father catching his children about to sneak out of the house. “Sounds like we need to talk.”